Egypt military officials approve Sisi for president

Egypt’s military officials have approved the army chief, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as a candidate to run for president later this year, state media says.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) met for several hours on Monday in discussions over the country’s security situation, as well as Sisi’s possible nomination for the presidency.

“The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces by consensus mandated the defense minister (Sisi) to stand in presidential elections,” the state agency said.

The statement came just hours after Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour promoted Sisi to the military’s highest rank.

Shortly after the announcement, Egypt’s deputy Prime Minister Ziad Bahaa El-Din resigned from his post in protest against Sisi’s candidacy.

Experts say Sissi may sweep the vote due to a lack of alternatives, as well as full support from Egypt’s media including the lack of any criticism of the general in the country.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Muslim Brotherhood activists and their supporters staged nationwide demonstrations on Saturday to mark the anniversary of the 2011 revolution that toppled former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The demonstrators demanded Morsi’s reinstatement and called for the release of Brotherhood activists arrested by police.